Eric Church: Country Heart, Restless Soul, presented by Gibson, is now open. This new exhibit traces Church’s life and career—from his North Carolina roots and experience as a Nashville songwriter to his place as one of country music’s revered rule breakers.
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Eric Church Exhibit Highlights
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Guitar
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Church contributed to the design of this limited-edition Gibson Eric Church Hummingbird Dark model, which he used on his Double Down Tour (2019). Custom features include a translucent Ebony Burst lacquer finish, dark mother-of-pearl fingerboard inlay, black body binding, and Hummingbird Dark pickguard.
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Guitar
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This Harmony H-303 three-quarter-size acoustic guitar belonged to Church when he was a child.
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Yearbook
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Church graduated from South Caldwell High School in Hudson, North Carolina, in 1995. This page from his high school yearbook includes a note from his family and childhood photos.
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Props
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These items were used as props in Church’s 2019 music video for “Some of It”:- Body and neck of a Kay electric guitar
- The Business of Music book, used to conceal electronic pickups for the Kay guitar
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Ball Cap
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Church bought this Von Dutch trucker hat at a Mississippi truck stop in the late 2000s and began wearing it onstage with his Ray-Ban Aviator sunglasses. The combination “put me in a different mode, mentally,” he said. Church’s band gave him the nickname “Chief”—the inspiration for the title of his 2011 album—to match his onstage persona, and his fans now use the moniker, too.
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Sunglasses
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These Ray-Ban Aviator Mirror sunglasses were worn by Church, who wears sunglasses onstage to prevent the stage lighting and smoke from drying out his contact lenses.
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Jacket
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Church wore this Tom Ford purple suede jacket when he and Jazmine Sullivan sang the national anthem at Super Bowl LV, Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida, February 7, 2021.
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Outfit
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The costume worn by Church in the 2012 music video for “Creepin’” included this John Varvatos suede coat, Rogue three-piece suit, and American flag–print scarf.
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Outfit
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Church wore this Rogue two-tone leather jacket, this John Varvatos shirt, and these Diesel jeans on the album cover of The Outsiders and at the CMA Awards, November 6, 2013.
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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Sculpture
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Made from vinyl records of various sizes, this sculpture replicates the soundwave of Church’s recording of “Record Year.” It was used as a prop in the 2016 music video for the song.
Photo by Bob Delevante for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
Eric Church Exclusive Playlist
Plan your visit to see Eric Church: Country Heart, Restless Soul and listen to his journey to stardom in this official exhibit playlist.